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Post by Red Charge on Apr 24, 2012 7:35:10 GMT -5
The pottasium sizzled in the concoction the golem was made of, and Hind Sight immediately shot a potent flare spell at each jar. Two loud explosions rocked the battlefield. They had succeeded!
...or not. As soon as the explosion expelled the water forming the legs, two more tendrils connected to the body of the golem, regenerating it completely. Now it wheeled around to face them, firing thick globs of liquid in their direction. Hind Sight rushed for cover, only barely making it before one of the globs splashed against the trunk of the tree he dived behind. He dared a peek to see how the others were faring.
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Post by starshade on Apr 25, 2012 1:07:13 GMT -5
StarShade's joy from seeing the water golem's legs explode was short-lived as the monstrous construct began regenarating itself - and turns its gaze towards them.
"We are so dead," wept the black unicorn, "So very, very dead."
Then the golem began firing it's liquid globs at the team, causing everypony to react upon its attack. StarShade's reaction was to run in a large figure of eight, yelling frantically at his teammates for the failed attack.
"Retort, your plan did not work!" cried the young colt as he ran around in a crazed panic, tears streaming like twin fountains from his eyes as if his head had turned into a burst fire hydrant. "What now? Should we try assaulting the pools instead? Can somepony freeze those things? Does that monster have a power core, a lacrima or something, that we need to destroy? Is somepony controlling it? Should we take out those controlling it instead? Say something before we are all doomed!!"
What made it more unbelievable than StarShade screaming for suggestions while galloping around in a blind panic was the fact that none of the water golem's dangerous globs of liquids have actually touched him. The black unicorn was definitely no athlete, but sheer panic and terror seemed to have made him forget about that as he ran around crazily, sending mud flying all over the place, with such unbelievable maneuvreablity that the water golem was unable to score a single target on him.
"Somepony tell me what to do-o-o-o~!" wept the young colt as several globs of Poison Joke liquid missed him only by mere inches.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 25, 2012 6:17:42 GMT -5
Retort appeared more analytical about the failure then disheartened. He watched, at first with unbridled glee as the explosions went off just as he had predicted, but quickly recanted that sediment when the creature reformed around the blast spots. He scratched his chin with a hoof, pondering – which was cut short as the golem turned and fired upon their spot. Retort hit the ground fast as the globs flew overhead, digging himself against a muddy raised mound just before the ridge leading down towards the pyramid and the center of the conflict. If he could press himself into the soil till he was submerged, he would have.
”Get down!” Retort attempted to slam Star into the mud with his magic and sliding the colt against the ridge beside him. ”You daft? Gonna get killed like that. Get your tail in the game.” He scolded, and then glanced over to where Hind Sight had taken cover, calling to him. ”Hey, Sight!? Ya dead?” Spotting Hind Sight risking a peak, Retort responded with a wave of his hoof. Star may be freaking out but Retort was surprisingly unfazed by the minor upset. Quite the opposite, he was already curiously studying a glob of the mucky green water that had been launched at them.
Retort had a crooked stick wrapped in telekinesis with a dollop of the muck stuck on the end. He mutters several, ‘hmms’ and ‘hums’ as he rubbed his chin while eyeing the gunk. He didn’t want to make any claims about its properties – he needed to test, it was only proper. Nearby, a swamp bullfrog croaked – Retort’s eyes shot over to the amphibian on the rotten log, then smacked it a telekinetically thrown ball of the gunk. It took less than a moment before the frog tried to croak in protest at the assault when it suddenly begun to expand, blowing up like a speckled balloon and rolling off the log. Retort threw the stick away.
”Yup, Poison Joke. Strong too – fascinating!” As he spoke, he rummaged through his saddle bags, retrieving a small vial of a blue elixir and a little pouch with a powder. ”But, I may have just the ticket!”Retort combined the powder with the elixir, the instant the powder combined with the elixir, it begun spewing foam and Retort drank it all down. He shuddered, his coat stood on end as a magic current shot through his body, ending with a spark from his horn. ”Ah, that’s the stuff. Ok, time to test my hypothesis.” In what could be considered an act of complete madness, Retort used his horn’s magic to scrape a hoof sized ball of the Poison Joke muck from the far tree where Hind Sight hid and flung it right into his own face. He let it sit there, upon his face for a long, awkward moment, then scraped the gunk off and waited. And waited, and waited. Then tapped his horn with his hoof, nothing wrong there, and then used his horn’s magic to lift a nearby rock without trouble. He drank a simple Poison Joke remedy, made with basic plant extracts, including Poison Joke itself, which Retort enhanced with powdered Chimera teeth to give it that extra kick.
”What a farce, using concentrated Poison Joke, more an inconvenient curiosity then a threat. Here, drink up you two.” Retort brought forth two more of the same vials of blue elixir, sprinkled a little powder in them and passed one off to StarShade and floated the other foaming mixture to Hind a few yards away. ”That is, unless you rather rely on that colored sugar water the military gave you?”He gibed Sight before returning to his saddle bags while more globs of the golem’s Poison Joke flung in the air overhead. ”I may be able to concoct something to nullify the Poison Joke in the golem, but I’ll need a little time. Can you keep it occupied for a few minutes – run around or something, call it silly names, don’t care.” He dismissed them with a flutter of his hoof as he focused on rummaging for ingredients within in his packs.
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Post by Red Charge on Apr 27, 2012 7:27:14 GMT -5
And as though by cue, Retort suddenly felt incredibly dizzy. Spots began to appear all over his body as his horn flopped comically on his forehead. Suddenly the world was spinning around him. It looks like Watermark's brew was far more than met the eye, and Retort's antidote only managed to stall the effect for a few moments. If that wasn't enough, he developed an allergic reaction to the combination of ingredients, and his entire body became sore and itchy. Definitely a critical fail for him.
Hind Sight stayed behind cover as the Golem turned away again, continuing to assault the Equestrian Army. He began sneaking towards the mound where Retort was. "I told you not to rely on your stupid potions!" He accused, "Did you not stop to consider that our opponents have more guile than to use a simple poison concoction?" He did stay a few steps away, there was no way he wanted to catch what Retort had.
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Post by starshade on Apr 27, 2012 14:56:44 GMT -5
It took a while for StarShade to recover from his initial hysteria and check his surroundings after being pulled to behind the mound where Retort was hiding. It was then when he finally saw the predicament in which his friend is suffering from. His eyes wide in horror, the black unicorn let out a lengthy gasp of shock and grief.
"Retort! Oh my Celestia! No!"
His initial reaction was to hold his friend tight, but his brain worked faster and he prevented himself from doing so. Such action might prove dangerous. What if Retort's condition is contagious? And 2 sick unicorns will not help in bringing down the towering monster behind them which has now resumed its bombardment at the Equestrian forces.
"How can this happen?" sobbed the young colt as Hind Sight was barking some sense into Mortar Retort. It pained StarShade to see his friend like that. Didn't he just promised Retort that he will look after him. Protect him. And yet here they're, his friend ill from the enemy's attack. Of course, in his previous panic session earlier the young colt did not realize that Retort intentionally smothered his own face with the Poison Yoke goop. Instead, he thought that his friend had been attacked. His only friend.
The emotional attack seemed to have started a strange reaction within StarShade, triggering something deep inside the black unicorn. His facial expression slowly turned from sadness and fear into something void. An expression of deep emptiness. Even his eyes seemed empty, as if the green colours were trying to consume both the white and black areas. Slowly, the young colt rose up, casting an eerie and somewhat unnatural shadow over his 2 comrades.
"Hind Sight," came the strangely cold voice of StarShade, just like back when he was aiming Retort's jar at the water golem. "Assist Retort in anyway you possibly can. Then, follow his instructions. I shall give the distraction you both need."
The black unicorn jumped over the magically-constructed mound and faced the target.
"That thing must be destroyed!" declared the young colt as he reared and kicked with his forelegs, unflinching, before he began charging towards the collossal water golem ahead. The artificial monstrosity might be too busy attacking the Equestrian Army to notice the black unicorn charging towards it, something that may give StarShade the upperhoof as he galloped onwards, his horn glowing with charged magical energy.
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Post by Mortar Retort on Apr 28, 2012 9:35:21 GMT -5
At first, Retort failed to notice the sickness building within him, instead entirely fixated on preparing a sort of mini-alchemist station in the dirt. He was removing a small mortar and pestle when the effect took complete root and Retort doubled over in pain while his vision blurred. He stammered and slipped back on his haunches in a uneasy and mildly painful squat. He shook his head, trying to shake away the swimming in his head. He gave a disorientated glance down at his body. ”Oh...that’s not good.” He ran his hoof over his face, trying to collect himself.
Hind Sight’s scolding wasn’t helping his pounding head, either. Retort shot him a disgruntled, dagger-like stare. ”I- I will not have my-my craft insulted by… by… OH CELE-“ His face instantly took on a green, sickly pale hue that permeated his blue fur. With an almost graceful, catlike quickness, Retort took his fez in his hooves and dropped it down before his muzzle and proceeded to relinquish his stomach into the upturned hat. A few soupy, gurgling regurgitations later, he was left a panting, sweating mess. He glanced down at the fez with stark disappointment. ”It’s filthy…” He sighed, then tossed the soiled fez over the side of the embankment. Least for the moment, he did feel slightly better – enough so to give Hind Sight another glaring look.
Pushing past the discomfort and pain, Retort continued to rummage through his saddlebags while ignoring Hind Sight and StarShade as he desperately sought something from among his raw ingredients. After a moment of rummaging, and StarShades initial hysterics, Retort retrieved sprigs of anise, sliced ginger root, and a few fresh camomile flowers. He tossed the lot into the mortar and begun to grind the herbs together with the pestle between his hooves. He only looked up again when StarShade made a sudden 180 degree turn in his demeanor. He curiously watched as Star bolted out a command, instead of hyperventilating, then proceeded to jump from cover in a bold act. Retort was shocked, though not shocked enough to forget the mush he had just made in the mortar. While absently scratching himself, his free hoof scooped up dollop of the paste and proceeded to stick it in his mouth, resting it under his tongue. He knew, well least hoped, that it would ebb the edge off the Poison Joke poisoning and keep his head still on the task at hand.
He glanced to Hind Sight. ”You going to go after him?” He inquired, eyes veering to where Star had charged off towards, letting slip a little blow from his nose. ”I’ll be fine - just need to test…” He stammered off exasperated, scooting towards a puddle of the golems tainted water, with a pipet clasped in his mouth he had taken from his materials strewn around their little patch of protection. He insisted to himself he would correct this mishap and figure out what was in that golem while he was at it.
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Post by Red Charge on May 6, 2012 12:38:53 GMT -5
As the golem noticed the charging Starshade, it leaned forwards and with one of its claws flicked him away. The young stallion flew in a wide arc away from the Golem, past Retort and Hindsight and far away out of sight and out of the battle.
"Well, that's one down!" Hind Sight said worryingly, his head following Starshade in his flight, his silouette getting smaller and smaller until it vanished far away into the bog. "He's not going to get back any time soon." He said, as the golem now turned to intercept the fireballs coming from where the mage battery was.
With pegasi falling out of the air and into the battlefield, and no knowledge of what Team Moonbird was doing, the situation became more and more desperate and Hind Sight finally decided to take Charge.
"Alright you cook alchemy school dropout, we only have one chance left. See those lakes? FILL THEM WITH MUD." He said, trying to use his telekinesis to round up the largest mud ball he could outside of the golem's field of view. It was the only thing he could think of. If the golem was replenishing itself from water, with sufficient amount of mud they could be able to stop it from replenishing and make it vulnerable at last. But he had to have Retort's complete co-operation to make it happen, now that Starshade was out of the fight.
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Post by Mortar Retort on May 6, 2012 13:20:51 GMT -5
Retort was losing whatever was left of his breakfast once more off side of the embankment just as Starshade was launched like a from a catapult over their heads and somewhere into deep in the bog. Retort’s eyes followed the flying pony across the sky, till he was out of sight. He turned back to Hind Sight while scooping up more of his mashed together herb mixture and sticking it his mouth as the pony took command.
”Like that can possibly work, it’s too simple.” The pony protested, but catching a glance at the chaos the golem was doing coupled with his own illness and very few options. ”Well, good as any idea. Alright, but I’m not exactly magic capable at the moment.” Reiterating that point with a flick of his hoof against his wobbly horn. But then, he got to his hooves and gave a acknowledging nod. ”I’ll gather more soil, just keep flinging it till you can’t fling no more.”
With that, Retort quickly trotted over near the swampy tree line and begun to dig with whatever strength he could muster, digging his forehooves into the ground kicked back dirt and mud towards Hind Sight. It was dirty and hard, but for a Canterlot pony, Retort was giving it all the strength he had to build as much loose soil and mud as he could, as quickly as he could, for Hind Sight to ball up and plug the lakes. Hopefully it would be enough.
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Post by starshade on May 7, 2012 7:35:25 GMT -5
StarShade charged towards the water golem, his horn collecting enough magical energy to cause a black sphere with a somewhat shiny surface to materialize over his head. Still galloping towards his target, the black unicorn aimed his magic missile spell at the hulking behemoth before him, aiming for its head. His concentration all thrown towards the golem, he prepared to unleash the sphere of magical energy straight into his target.
He never got the chance. Multitasking had always been his greatest weakness. The poor young and inexperienced colt focused all his attention to his attack to the water golem's head that he never saw his enemy's claw come right at him. It slammed the colt on his left side and for a few seconds StarShade was carried by the golem's claws off the ground. During the maelstrom of shock and pain, the black unicorn blindingly discharged his magic missile to Celestia knows where. Then, he was flying. The impact from the water golem's strike was so great that it launched the poor colt like a baseball hit hard by a baseball bat, flying several feet up through the air, flying over his two companions and over the trees of the swamps. Paralyzed by shock and pain, the clock within his mind was suddenly set to rewind.
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Galloping clumsily through the halls of a grand manor, a little black foal made his way to where his parents were while clutching a piece of paper in his mouth. Reaching a room where a stallion and a mare were busy packing in papers into their bags. "Mummy, daddy, look! I draw us!" chirped the little foal excitedly as he laid out a piece of paper unto the floor. On it was a drawing of three stick figure ponies standing inside a heart. "Sorry, dear, mummy and daddy too busy right now," says the mother as she puts on her purse using her telekinesis. "No time for useless stuff now, son, we got a very important appointment to go to. Bye now," says the father as he places his saddlebags on his own back and darts for the door followed by his wife. Young StarShade was left alone in the empty room, looking at the open door from which his parents had went through. His drawing lay on the floor while silence fell upon him, tears falling down his face. "I draw... useless?"
It was his first day at school. He tried making friends. He would walk up to the other foals and gave them his biggest smile. But they would only shrug at his appearence and leave. Despite the loneliness, things were peaceful - until the day a bully decided to pick on the "scary black pony". It was frightening, poor StarShade screaming for help as the bully stood on him, pressing the little foal into the ground while the other students just looked on. Then his horn started glowing, and the next he knew the bully who had been attacking him had been thrown straight through a wall. Parents complained to the teachers, teachers complained to StarShade's parents. Both parties threatened to take action, but his parents pulled some strings to make them all button their lips. From then on StarShade had to be educated at home via a private tutor. No other teachers. No other students. No friends. That didn't stop much about the bad gossip involving his parents and their "useless" son.
His teenage life was filled with extreme loneliness and the looks of fear given by other ponies as they saw him come into their view. He felt like a monster, feared and hated. He tried to make himself useful to others, but his inability to multitask hampered his usefullness. No matter how hard he tried, everypony will always see him as useless.
It was his very first battle and a chance to finally prove himself. He had promised to look after a friend in his team. Due to unforeseen circumstances, he failed to protect his friend. And while trying to attack their enemy, he was thrown right out of the fight. He had become a liability. He had become useless.
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StarShade's form flew over the trees, slowly going lower and lower as the momentum runs out. He bounced against branches and snapped up twigs as he begins to fall through the canopy, crushing bushes before he finally crashes to the ground. The young colt rolled across the muddy ground before finally hitting an area of swamp water, where he stopped. Lying in the mud, his body was half-submerged in water, covered with bruises from the water golem's blow and from hitting the branches, and also sustaining some scratches.
As StarShade lay motionless upon mud and water, his eyes looked up into the sky while his ears listened to the noises around him. He saw a few pegasi. He heard explosions and the sound of clashing steel. He could not do anything. He could not move. He had failed to defeat his enemy. He had failed to help his people. He had failed to serve his nation. He had failed to make friends, other than Mortar Retort. And he had failed to protect that which was his only friend.
With what little ounce of consciousness he had left, and tears running down his cheeks, he uttered in a broken and sorrowful voice, "I... am... useless..."
Then, everything was black...
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Post by Red Charge on May 11, 2012 10:48:48 GMT -5
They lobbed mud ball after mud ball at the golem's lake foundations, even succeeded in slowing it down considerably. But in their hearts they both knew it was too late. They were right, the army was too far away and the shadow of the eclipse already began to spread.
"It's too late." Hind Sight said, "We failed," the stallion hoofed hard at the ground in frustration. Stepping back from the pyramid, Hind Sight lowered his head. Had he spoken up sooner, or tried to co-operate. He should have taken leadership, or at the very least worked better with the one who has. Instead he acted like a fool. He wouldn't be surprised if he would be court marshaled. That is, if there was anyone left to court marshal him.
"What the..." He called loudly, noting the portal opening high in the sky above the pyramid, launching a beacon of energy up into the sky. He saw something like that before, didn't he?
Shaking his head quickly, the stallion turned to his compatriot, "Come on Retort, I'm sorry, we failed." He knew Starshade had been thrown too far to be able to find him before the battle was done. Out of the bog, possibly. Fashioning a small mud effigy, he imprinted a rune on it with his horn. The mud pony quickly sprang into pseudo life, that rune would only last it an hour or so "Go find a black pony called Starshade, keep him safe." He ordered, and the pseudo golem bounded off out of sight.
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